Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert'; UK sends Typhoon jets

The security picture: Houthi attacks across Saudi Arabia have killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds, Al Jazeera reported, citing AFP and Reuters. Government agencies in Riyadh told staff to work from home this week, AFP reported. On Monday the Houthis claimed strikes on an Aramco site in Yanbu and the Shaybah oilfield; Saudi authorities did not confirm them and Reuters could not verify them. A Houthi attack on a Yemeni government training camp in Shabwa killed 58 people the same day, Reuters said.

Britain steps in: U.K. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting approved RAF Typhoon jets to fly defensive missions over Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Defence said Tuesday. Britain is also sending an A400M transport plane and military advisers, and extending air-to-air refueling for Saudi air operations. "The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable," Streeting said.

Primary document: The Ministry of Defence statement says the jets "will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis." It also says the refueling support covers Saudi operations "to degrade Houthi military targets in Yemen." And it ties the move to prices at home: "Escalating violence in the Gulf can have a serious impact at home in the UK - driving up the cost of living, disrupting energy supplies."

How outlets framed it: CNN and NPR said Saudi Arabia "canceled" the conference; The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post said it was "postponed." Organizers framed it as protecting a milestone edition, not as a security decision; the statement as quoted by CNN and Al Jazeera does not mention the Houthis.

Energy link: Brent crude hit $111.99 a barrel on Tuesday, a five-month high, before settling at $108.79, Reuters reported. Analysts at ING said prices carry "a significant risk premium" tied to the attacks on Saudi sites and ships.

What's still unknown: The new FII dates, how long the RAF jets will stay, and whether Saudi Arabia will confirm damage from the claimed strikes on its oil sites.

Hero photo shows an RAF Typhoon at a 2023 air show in Poland (file photo), not the jets deploying to Saudi Arabia. Houthi claims of strikes on Saudi oil sites were not confirmed by Saudi authorities or verified by Reuters.